Valieva told what figure skating taught her

Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva talked about coming to this sport and becoming a person.

My mother took me to the rink when I was three and a half. True, at first she called the rhythmic gymnastics section, but for this sport I turned out to be too small. It was easier to sign up for figure skating – my mother’s promise was enough for me to try in training and not bite on the ice (laughs). However, a year later they sent me to gymnastics, and additionally they enrolled me in a ballet school. After a while, other sections had to be abandoned for figure skating. I chose the ice for two reasons: I really liked pirouettes and my trainer Ksenia Semyonovna Ivanova, who taught us new elements. It seems to me that it was Ksenia Semyonovna who saw my abilities.

– What did figure skating teach you and what do you remember from your first training sessions?

– I vividly remember the very first practice session at the rink. It became a real test: I constantly fell, got up, fell again – and in the evening I had a fever … Figure skating taught me to fall and fail calmly. It’s part of sporting life and besides, failure makes us grow and improve.

– Do you think the ability to win is a talent?

— Yes, I consider the ability to gain a talent. You may have natural inclinations and great perseverance, but at the decisive moment you will not be able to use everything,” U Valieva magazine quotes.

Valieva, 16, is the Olympic champion for the Beijing 2022 Games in the team competition.